BluePrint Mini-Grants
Terwilliger Plaza
Portland, Oregon
Project Title:
ABLE Bodies: Adventures in Better Living Through Exercise
Amount Funded: $25,000
About the Organization/Coalition:
Terwilliger Plaza is a retirement community of 250 residents. The
facility offers independent living and five levels of additional
nursing care and services. The falls prevention program, ABLE Bodies,
was developed by Sue Scott of Renewable Fitness in 2000 to improve
the quality of life for senior adults through fitness. Other
partners in the project include the Oregon Health & Science
University, Rose Schnitzer Manor (assisted living facility)
Kirkland Manor (retirement community for low-income residents)
and Courtyard Living (retirement community in an urban setting.)
Project Objectives:
- Evaluate the efficacy of the ABLE Bodies Balance Improvement
Program in increasing fitness levels and enhancing the quality
of life. Staff will conduct a longitudinal study of 80 participants
age 70+. Four sites will be used to engage participants from
different economic and racial backgrounds in the study. All
subjects will be evaluated at baseline, 16 weeks, 32 weeks,
and 40 weeks. The findings will be used to prepare an article
for an applied professional journal and to develop an ABLE
training guide.
- Train staff and provide balance and strength equipment at retirement
facilities and assisted living facilities. ABLE will train
management/activity staff at the facilities so they can train
their staff to deliver the programs.
- Build intergenerational relationships between the teenagers and
the elderly. Two teenagers will assist at each site and engage
in the activities with the study participants. Classes will
include progressive strength and balance exercises, social functions,
and programming designed to encourage seniors to connect with what
makes them feel happy and valued, such as community involvement,
volunteering or composing memoirs.
Progress Report:
A total of 93 people age 70 and older were recruited from four sites to participate for 16 weeks in the ABLE Bodies program. Lesson topics included posture, flexibility, strength, and balance techniques. Individuals were divided into intervention or control groups. Preliminary results from the intervention group show an improvement in lower body strength, lower body flexibility, dynamic balance, and mobility and agility. The cognitive test scores also improved, which indicates an increase in balance confidence and activity levels.
Accomplishments for 2003 included:
- Facility staff, teenagers, and interns were trained in administering the evaluation tools. Staff members assisted with recruitment and testing of the participants. Interns from Portland State University assisted in two class sessions a week and led practice sessions at two of the sites each week. Six teenagers were recruited to assist with exercise sessions.
- Terwilliger Plaza hosted a final day carnival for participants from the four sites to compete in individual and team events using the skills they learned in the program.
- The program received equipment donations from Power Systems, Thera-Band, AeroMat, and M-F Athletic Company.
Contact Information:
Sue Scott
Terwilliger Plaza
2545 SW Terwilliger Blvd.
Portland, OR 97201
(503) 226-4911
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